Neil macphail



v (No Model.)

N. MACPHAIL. ENVELOPB GUM MOISTENER.

No. 475,693. Patented May 24, 1892.

Afrnivfr rricn.

NEIL MAOPI-IAIL, OF GLASGOV, SCOTLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ANDREW7 C. YVHYTE, OF SAME PLACE.

ENVELOPE-GUM IVIOISTENER..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,693, dated May 24, 1892. Application filed December 26, 189]. Serial No. 416,189. (No model.) Patented in England September 30, 1890, No. 21,182.

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, NEIL MACPHAIL, staiioner, of 175 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, North Britaimhave invented an Im provedEn velope-Gum Moistener, (for which I have received Letters Patent of Great Britain, No. 21,182, of September 30, 1890,) of which the following is a speci tication.

My invention has for its object to provide a new and handyimplement for moistening eX- peditiously and uniformly the gum or other adhesive on the flaps of envelopes, Wrappers, duc., obviating the disagreeable practice of doing so with the tongue.

This new gum or adhesive moistener may be in the form of asmall bottle,tube, or other convenient vessel made of glass, metal, vulcanite, india-rubber, or other material to contain water and of a shape and size that will best enable it to be readily held in the hand while being applied to the surface to be 1n oist` cned. The mouth of the bottle or other vessel is fitted with a movable stopper or cap perforated with one or more apertures of just the requisite size to allow a small quantity of water to percolate from the bottle or other vessel through a sponge or other similar absorbent material xed over the apertures. By this means the sponge or other absorbent material is made to retain a continuous small supply of moisture just sufficient to wet slightly and uniformly-the surface to which it is applied. By keeping the bottle or other vessel lying on its side the absorbent material on the end is constantly7 in contact with the water contained in it and moist for use. The bottle or other vessel may have the aperture or apertures (covered with absorbent material in the manner described) at one end and the movable cap or stopper at the other end. This stopper or cap is made to be easily removed and replaced to allow of the vessel being filled with water as often as required. The sponge or other absorbent material is fixed in such manner that no difficulty is eX- perienced in removing it for renewal when required.

In the drawings, Figure lis a section. Fig. 2 is a part section and elevation of a modifi cation.

A is the bottle or casing for containing the Water B, the top part O of which is made to screw olf and on easily to enable the bottle A to be filled with water when necessary. The neck ct of this bottle is provided with one or more perforations adjacent to the enlarged end, and over the enlarged end of the neck there is xed by means of thread l), passing through the perforations, or in any other convenient manner a small sponge D or other absorbent material. There is a movable cap or cover E,which is placed over the sponge D and fits tightly onto the top of the bottle A, leaving only a portion of the sponge projecting out to enable the gum or other adhesive to be moistened. The bottle A or other vessel when not in use is kept lying on its side, and so the sponge D or other absorbent material fixed to the neck a of the bottle is con stantly in contact with the water contained in it, and is therefore always moist and ready for use.

In place of constructing the top part O of the bottle A to screw off and on, as already described and shown with reference to Fig. l, I may have the lower part of the nec-k d f1tting into a'cork E, and this cork F fits tightly into the bottle A, by which means the top part can be taken off and on quicker when the bottle requires to be filled. To prevent the cork F being pushed in too far, I provide a flange G.

1. As a new article of manufacture, an envelope-moistener consisting, essentially, of a tubular body having a contracted neck, a sponge or other absorbent material secured to said neck, an opening through said neck for the passage of Water, and a cap surrounding said neck and a portion of the sponge, substantially as set forth.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an envelope-moistener consisting, essentially, of a tubular body formed with a neck having an enlarged outer end, a sponge or other suitable absorbent material surrounding and secured to the enlarged portion of the neck, and a cap surrounding the neck and a portion of said absorbent material,substantially as set forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an envelope-moistener consisting of a tubular body ro'o having an open interiorly-screW-threaded outer end, a neck portion screw-threaded into the open end of the body portion and having an enlarged outer end, perforations through 'sald neck portion adjacent to the outer end, an opening through the neck portion for the passage of the Water, a sponge or other suitable absorbent material surrounding the enlarged end of the neck portion and secured thereto by threads passing through the perforations, and a cap surrounding a portion of the absorbent material and attached to the body portion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereto set my I5 hand in the presence of two witnesses.

NEIL MACPHAIL.

Vitnesses: 4 JOHN LIDDLE,

.Patent Agent, Glasgow. ARTHUR HARTLEY YUILE,

154 S15. Vincent Street, Glasgow. 

